I had spent the morning photographing elk in Great Smoky Mountains National Park and decided to drive the Blue Ridge Parkway on my way home. It turned out to be a decision I was especially glad I made. The Blue Ridge Mountains were showing off their incredible fall colors, and I couldn’t resist stopping to take it all in.
What caught my eye was the contrast between the rich reds, oranges, and golds of autumn and the soft blue layers of mountains fading into the distance. Together, they created a warm, almost cozy feeling that captured what I love most about fall in the mountains.
I had hoped to photograph the fall colors along the Blue Ridge Parkway, but I was surprised by just how beautiful the mountains were that day. The rich colors exceeded my expectations. I wanted to capture more than the brilliant autumn leaves; I wanted to preserve the warmth, atmosphere, and feeling of that moment in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
